Name: Pete Mailler.
Age: 53.
Status: Married with four children.
Current or past employment if now retired or otherwise:
Grain and cattle producer.
How long have you lived in the Moree shire:
I was born in Moree.
What part of the shire do you live?
I live and farm on a property between Boggabilla and Boomi.
Have you had any previous roles, either as an employee or volunteer in local, state or federal government?
I have a background and agricultural advocacy at state and federal levels. This included a term as the president of Grain Producers Australia which involved several roles in government committees and the like.
What are the main reasons you are standing for council?
It is essential that Council appreciates and understands the needs of all of its ratepayers and constituents. This means it is essential that people from all walks of life are represented on and by the Council. I was concerned that, with the retirement of some of the former councillors, rural constituents may not have had adequate representation.
I am a farmer relying on council-maintained roads in all aspects of life and business. I drive cars and trucks and move machinery between farms on the network. The decline of the rural road network is increasing costs of production, poses serious public safety concerns and is in some cases threatening the viability of some farms.
This presents an economic threat that flows through the entire regional economy and will inevitably affect the prosperity of our towns as well.
Is this the first time you have stood for council?
Yes.
Are you standing alone or with a running mate(s)?
I am standing alone.
What do you love most about Moree Plains Shire?
It is my home.
What do you think the main issues are in Moree that need addressing? Crime is a major concern. What are your views on this?
I think crime is a major concern across most populated centres and is unlikely to be resolved in isolation in Moree or any of the other communities that fall within the Moree Plains Shire. These are complex social issues that will require genuine buy-in from all stakeholders to address. This will include state and federal intervention at some point.
As a community though, I feel we need to focus on creating opportunities and engagement for young people in education and employment as fundamental tools to raise socio-economic standards in our region and hopefully provide more productive pathways for our youth.
There is myriad services operating in and across the Shire aimed at improving social outcomes in our region. At a local level, we could do better to try and break down some of the silos in which they operate and possibly better facilitate and/or coordinate those efforts to improve outcomes on the ground.
Do you think the current council is aiming in the right direction on various projects and/or issues?
I wasn’t privy to all the discussions and processes that underpinned the Council’s decisions previously, so I won’t comment specifically on funded projects.
I would say the Council has erred in underfunding the maintenance of the rural road network for many years. This lack of maintenance will end up costing ratepayers more in major repairs than it saved each year by underfunding necessary routine maintenance.
I feel that over several decades the Council has gradually narrowed its focus to Moree and its immediate surrounds and shortened the timeframe of its focus. This has created an unsustainable expectation of service in and around Moree and eventually exposes all constituents to an increased financial pressure.
It is inevitable that constituents will be disappointed.
Sadly, the clock has run out on underfunding the key services rural ratepayers rely on to underpin the economy of the entire Shire – roads.
Of course, the necessary adjustments to the annual budget need to be carefully considered and it is the role of the elected representatives to undertake detailed cost benefit studies and strategically map out a longer-term plan for sustainable expenditure on all programs as equitably as possible.
How can the current council improve on what it is doing at the moment? Is money being spent on the right projects?
I don’t feel the Council as a whole has genuinely or thoroughly reviewed and challenged the annual budget process or engaged in the degree of strategic review that is necessary to be able to defend its operating plan and funding allocations.
Beyond this, there is a need to increase the understanding of the performance of the Council in delivering services. It isn’t enough to allocate funds, it is essential to ensure those funds are deployed efficiently and effectively.
In this context, it is important for the elected councillors to have a greater understanding and accountability of teams responsible for the delivery of council services. There are always differences between private and public sector services, but it is essential ratepayers get the most efficient and effective performance possible.
Has the current council disappointed the people of Moree? If so, how?
There is an old saying that you can’t please all of the people all of the time. If you try, you will end up pleasing no one. So I think it is quite normal there will be people who will be disgruntled with the performance of the Council.
That said, the thing that you must do is be open about how you make decisions and provide a clear rationale to justify the final position. This still won’t satisfy all constituents, but it does provide a level of accountability for the decisions that are made.
I know before I even begin, I will not be able to please everyone. That said, I will consider all ratepayers in the decisions I might make if elected.
What local organisations are you involved with at the moment?
Rural Fire Service and New South Wales Farmers’ Association.
What are you pastimes, hobbies or passions?
I farm and enjoy my family.
Footnote: Questions to candidates differ slightly, given the mix is made up of current councillors seeking re-election, past councillors seeking re-election and first-timers seeking election.
More on this candidate here: https://moreeonlinenews.com.au/2024/08/23/peter-mailler-mpsc-candidate
